Register for a postal meter

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a register for a postage meter, and more specifically to the descending register thereof, which comprises: A single old and well-known Thomas-type mutilated drum actuator; driven gears slidably but non-rotatably mounted on a register drive shaft, which gears are adjustable to lie opposite none or any selected number of the gear teeth on the mutilated drum; and a register drive gear which is effective to drive the register dials and also to operate the tens-transfer mechanism when necessary. In the present invention, the dial drive mechanism in each order utilizes a gear train of a nine-tooth selection and register driving gear, a 40-tooth gear driven by the gear on the respective drive shaft, the 40-tooth gear, in turn, drives a 20-tooth idler, and that, in turn, drives a 10tooth gear affixed to the register dial, thereby driving the register dial selected increments of value. The tens-transfer mechanism comprises in each order a four-tooth gear and a Geneva disk, both of approximately the same size as the 40-tooth gear mounted on the latter; the four-tooth gear registering with a gear rotatably mounted on the register drive shaft and the attached Geneva disk registering with a Geneva block, the latter being provided with an axially projecting cam face for each gear tooth; a cam follower engaging the cam teeth, which follower is affixed to a tens-transfer shaft that carries a yoke which engages a tens-transfer gear mounted on the register drive shaft of the next higher order, whereby the rotation of the 40-tooth gear through a tens-transfer position will effect the movement of the tens-transfer gear in the next higher order into alignment with a tens-transfer tooth on the actuator drum. In the present invention the respective register drive shafts and their gear assemblies, as above described, are angularly arranged around a single actuator drum, so that all of the register assembly is driven by a single actuator.

United States Patent [1 1 Malavazos, deceased et al.

[111 3,876,870 Apr. 8, 1975 REGISTER FOR A POSTAL METER [22] Filed: Apr.3, 1974 [211 Appl. No.: 457,593

[52] US. Cl..., 235/101; 235/137; 235/139 R [51] Int. Cl. G06c 15/26;G07g 1/00 [58] Field of Search 235/101, 133, 136,137,

Y [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,597,488 5/1952 Hopkinset al 235/133 R 2,726,812 12/1955 Uhl 235/101 3,107,854 10/1963Lundquist 235/101 3.123.292 3/1964 Lundquist 235/101 3,823,666 7/1974Hanson 235/101 Primary Examiner-Stephen J. Tomsky Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Robyn Wilcox [57] ABSTRACT This invention relates to a register fora postage meter, and more specifically to the descending registerthereof, which comprises: A single old and well-known Thomas-typemutilated drum actuator; driven gears slidably but non-rotatably mountedon a register drive shaft, which gears are adjustable to lie oppositenone or any selected number of the gear teeth on the mutilated drum; anda register drive gear which is effective to drive the register dials andalso to operate the tenstransfer mechanism when necessary. In thepresent invention, the dial drive mechanism in each order utilizes agear train of a nine-tooth selection and register driving gear, a40-tooth gear driven by the gear on the respective drive shaft, the40-tooth gear, in turn, drives a 20-tooth idler, and that, in turn,drives a 10- tooth gear affixed to the register dial, thereby drivingthe register dial selected increments of value. The tens-transfermechanism comprises in each order a four-tooth gear and a Geneva disk,both of approximately the same size as the 40-tooth gear mounted on thelatter; the four-tooth gear registering with a gear rotatably mounted onthe register drive shaft and the attached Geneva disk registering with aGeneva block, the latter being provided with an axially projecting camface for each gear tooth; a cam follower engaging 1 the cam teeth, whichfollower is affixed to a tenstransfer shaft that carries a yoke whichengages a tenstransfer gear mounted on the register drive shaft of thenext higher order, whereby the rotation of the 40- tooth gear through atens-transfer position will effect the movement of the tenstransfer gearin the next higher order into alignment with a tens-transfer tooth onthe actuator drum. 1n the present invention the respective registerdrive shafts and their gear assemblies, as above described, areangularly arranged around a single actuator drum, so that all of theregister assembly is driven by a single actuator.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAFR ems ,870

sum 2 or 2 REGISTER FOR A POSTAL METER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION amongother things, that a value selected for the meter must be accurately setinto two registers one in which the values are accumulated, known as theascending register, and one in which the value of the stamp issubtracted from the value set by the Post Office at the time of paymentfor postage, known as the descending register; and a mechanism whichlocks the meter against operation when the value in the descendingregister falls below that which could be set into the meter by theoperator. The particular mechanism described and claimed herein relatesto the register mechanism. For purposes of exemplification only,

the descending register will be described, since the ascending registeris of exactly the same construction, except that the means for lockingthe meter against operation upon reaching a minimum value is eliminatedin the ascending register.

It is well-known in the art that the Post Office with which a meter isregistered will, upon the payment of an amount to cover postage desiredby the user, reset descending register from time to time, but the valuesaccumulated in the ascending register are never changed except bymachine operation.

Other requirements of the Post Office are that the meter must beaccurate in all aspects of its operation, and that no stamp can beprinted without a like registration of the stamp value in the tworegisters. It should be ruggedly constructed to withstand long and hardusage and it must be relatively trouble-free. It is wellknown that ameter is so encased in its cover that it cannot be altered in any way,except at the Post Office, when they unlock access to the descendingregister and change its setting any other repair or change in the meterrequires that the meter be officially taken from service by thedistributor and repaired in a facility that is subject to Post Officeinspection. Hence, it is essential for a satisfactory postage meter tobe extremely accurate in registering the values printed by it into bothregisters as well as to be rugged and trouble-free in its operation.

It should be understood that the present invention, as in all modernpostal meters, is easily removable from its base. The meter itself,which contains the two registers,

-the print head and their protective devices, must be I taken to thelocal Post Office for resetting upon payment of postage. The baseincludes the motor and such auxiliary mechanisms as tape feed,moisteners, letter sealers, etc.

OBJECTS It is an object of the present invention to provide a registerwhich can be driven at a speed twice, or even three times, that commonlyused at present.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a very ruggedand simple construction for a postage meter register, so that itsoperation will be long and trouble-free.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a registerthat is completely accurate in its registrations.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a betterpostage meter than any now available.

These and further objects of the invention will be apparent from thedescription of the register in the following specification whenconstrued in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the register and its driving means of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on vertical planesperpendicular to the axis of the meter, such as along the broken planesindicated by the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view showing particularly theregister driving and tens-transfer mechanisms, such as taken alongplanes immediately adjacent to the left side of the center frame plate,as indicated by the line 33 of FIG. 1, with certain parts broken awayfor clarification.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a single order of the register drivingmechanism and the means for effecting the tenstransfer into the nexthigher order; and

FIG. 5 is an end view of a 40-tooth drive gear for a single order of theregister and the mechanism by which a tens transfer is imparted to thenext higher order, as no line 5-5 is shown in FIG. 4.

The register of the present invention is driven by the old andwell-known Thomas-type mutiliated drum actuator 30, shown in FIG. 4. Inthe present invention, this single drum is a hollow cylinder 501effective to drive all of the orders of the register, as willhereinafter be described. The drum 501 is rigidly mounted on the maindrive shaft of the machine, as shown in the copending applicationentitled Arithmetic Unit for a Postage Meter, above referred to. Thedrive shaft will be driven by a suitable motor in the base by means of adrive train not pertinent to this invention. The drum is provided withnine teeth 502 of differential length. The teeth 502 differ in length byapproximately the thickness of a driven gear 512 described in the secondfollowing paragraph. The drum 501 is rotated in a counter-clockwisedirection in this figure, and the driven gear 512 will be rotated onetooth-space if the gear is in alignment with the right end of thelowermost tooth 502, two teeth if aligned with the right end of thesecond of such teeth, and so on to nine increments if aligned with theninth such tooth. A tens-transfer is effected by a tens-transfer tooth503, which trails the lowermost, or trailing, tooth 502 by considerablespace, as shown. A Geneva block 504, preferably integral with the drum501, is aligned with the space between the trailing tooth 502 and thetens-transfer tooth 503, so that rotation of the driven gear will bestopped by a Geneva wheel 511 mentioned in the next paragraph.Following, or trailing, the tens-transfer tooth 503 is a second Genevablock 505, as shown in this figure, to stop rotation of the driven gearand shaft after a tens-transfer has been efiected.

Angularly arranged around the mutilated drum 501 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) isa series of square shafts 510, one for each order of the register. Thesesquare shafts are journalled in suitable bearings (not shown) in thefront and rear frame plates 101 and 102, respectively, and pass throughenlarged apertures in the middle frame plate 103. The descendingregister herein described preferably has eight orders, so thatconceivably it could be used to register $100,000.00 in postage. Thenumber of registers is obviously not important to the invention hereindescribed but it can be noted at this point that in the preferred formof the register, eight orders are preferred in the descending registerand nine in the ascending lt can also be noted that preferably there arefour orders in each register equipped to receive values from the drumactuator 501 while the balance only accept transfers from the adjacentlower order. Each of the square shafts 510 are provided with Genevablocks 511, as shown at 310-8 in FIG. 2 (the suffix --8" being used toindicate the eighth order).

The four lower order square shafts 510 carry a ninetooth selection gear512 slidably mounted thereon. Each of the gears has an extended hubprovided with an annular slot 513 in which will be a setting yoke 316(morecompletely described in the corresponding associated applicationentitled Selection Mechanism for a Postage Meter, copending herewith andabove referred to) mounted on a selection bar 320.

For an 8-order register 50, there normally would be four orders in whichvalues could be entered, so that postage in the amount of $99.99 couldbe entered in any cycle of the machine. Hence, there would be four gears512 which could be engaged by the actuator drum 501. It will be seen,therefore, that the positioning of a driven gear 512 with respect totheteeth 502 on drum 501, in the lowest four orders of the register, willbe effective, upon rotation of the drum, to enter incremental values inthe corresponding orders of the register through the incrementalrotation of the gears 512 and square shafts 510.

It should be mentioned at this point that tenstransfers are effectedthrough the driving of a ninetooth tens-transfer gear 514 (FIG. 2 and inthe fifth to seventh orders) from the rotation of the drum 501 and thetens-transfer tooth 503. Normally the gears 514 are out of registrationwith the tooth 503 (lying to the right thereof in FIG. 4 and immediatelyin front of the middle frame plate 103). The gears 514 (FIGS. 2 and 4)are moved into the plane of the single transfer tooth 503 by means of ayoke 515 rigidly secured to its tenstransfer bar 516, the yoke engagingan annular groove 517 in the hub of the gear 514. The operation of thebar 516, and consequently the placement of gear 514 either inregistration with the tens-transer tooth 503, or out of suchregistration, will be described subsequently.

The register 50 is preferably placed between the middle frame plate 103and the rear frame plate 102. These frame plates are rigidly tiedtogether by tie bars 111 as well as by means of the meter cover, notshown. In this space there are a series of 40-tooth gears 520 rotatablymounted on the main drive shaft 120 (see FIGS. 3 and 4). It will beobvious that there will be one 40-tooth gear 520 for each order of theregister. The 40-tooth gears are driven by their respective drivinggears 521- which are rigidly mounted on the respective ordinal 520. Each40-tooth gear 520, in the preferred embodiment of this invention, drivesa 20-tooth idler 522. These idlers 522 are rotatably mounted upon acommon shaft 523 and each, in turn, meshes with, and drives, a lO-toothgear 524 rotatably mounted on a common shaft 526. Attached to each gear524 is a dial 525, all of which will be viewable through an appropriatewindow in the meter cover (not shown herein). It will be ovious fromFIG. 4 that the differential rotation of a selection gear 512 willeffect a corresponding differential rotation of its ordinally relatednine-tooth gear 521, as both are mounted on the same square shaft 510.Such incremental rotation of a gear 521 will drive its 40-tooth gear520, and accordingly, its idler 522 and its dial 525. Thus, each of thelower four ordinal dials 525 will be rotated a differential amountdepending upon the location of its selection gear 512 with respect tothe teeth 502 of drum 501.

Rigidly secured to each 40-tooth gears 520, as by means of rivets 530,is a four-tooth gear 531 and a Geneva disk 532 (see FIGS. 4 and 5).Preferably, a pair of thin separator plates 539 lie on each side of the40- tooth gear 520, as shown. The four-tooth gear 531 has its four teeth533 equally spaced, or ten gear teeth apart with respect to the teeth of40-tooth gear 520. The Geneva disk 532 has corresponding notches 534adjacent the teeth 533 on four-tooth gear 531. Adjacent each nine-toothregister drive gear 521 which drives the 40-tooth gear 520, but notconnected thereto, is a driven gear 536, which gear registers with therespective ordinal four-tooth gear 533 above mentioned. These gears 536are rotatably mounted on their respective square shafts 510, the rearend of which is milled to a cylindrical shape, as shown. Rigidly securedto each gear 536 is a Geneva block 537 whereby the gear 536 and Geneva537 are turned simultaneously. Each Geneva 537 is provided with nineprojecting cam faces 538, one for each tooth of its gear 536. It followsthat rotation of its nine-tooth gear 521 on the register drive shaft 510drives its 40-tooth gear 520, but the Geneva'disk 532 and Geneva 537,because of the cooperation of these two, will hold the gear 536 againstrotation until the 40-tooth gear 520 has gone from a 9" to a 0 position.At that time, a single tooth 533 of gear 531 will mesh with the teeth ofgear 536 and a peak of the Geneva will enter a notch 534 of the Genevadisk, thereby rotating the Geneva disk block 537 and the cams 538 onetooth-space likewise.

A cam follower arm 544 is rigidly mounted on the ordinally relatedtens-transfer bar 516 by any suitable means, such as a pin (shown inFIGS. 4 and 5 but not,

identified). The shaft 516 is slidably mounted in the front and rearframe plates 101 and 102, respectively. Each shaft 516 is held in eitheradjusted position by means of a detent mechanism which, for purposes ofillustration, is shown as a spring-pressed ball 545 (FIG. 2, 8th order)engaging one or the other of a pair of adjacent notches 546 (FIG. 1) inthe bar 516. it will be understood that each ball 545 and its spring 547are contained in a suitable holder which, for purposes ofsimplification, are not shown. It will be understood that while only onesuch detent is shown in FIG. 2, each tens-transferlshaft 576 is sodetented in either adjusted position.

Normally, the bars 516 are positioned rearwardly (to the left in FIG. 1and to the right in FIG. 4) by means of a restore disk 548 havingdiametrically opposed cam faces 549. The cam faces 549 on the disk 548are so located that they lie a few degrees in advance of the first tooth502 on the drumactuator 501 and follow the tens-transfer tooth 503.Thus, the bars'5l6 are restored to their rearward, inoperative,position, both before and subsequent to digitation. This is preferred,as it permits adjustment of the descending register by Post Officeofficials to accommodate additional prepaid postage without regard as towhether a tens-transfer is effected by such adjustment or not.

It has already been mentioned that each tens-transer bar 516 alsocarries a tens-transfer drive gear yoke 515, which is rigidly securedthereon by any suitable means, such as the pin shown but not identified.Each yoke 5 l5 registers with an annular notch 517 in the hub oftenstransfer gear 514 of the adjacent higher order. It follows that eachstep of a gear 536 and its Geneva disk 537 and integral cams 538 iseffective to push the ordinally related follower arm 544 forwardly.This, of course, pushes the bar 516 forwardly, and accordingly, the yoke515 and tens-transfer gear 514 of the adjacent higher order are movedforwardly to be in registration with the single tens-transfer tooth 503on the drain 501. This mechanism provides a power drive transfer wavethroughout the register each transfer being effected by the actuator 501subsequent to digitation in a particular order and completed immediatelyafter to thecompletion of digitation in the adjacent higher order.

It is believed obvious that the placing of a selection gear 512 in aproper incremental position on its square shaft 510 by means of theselection mechanism described in the above-mentioned copendingapplication entitled SelectionMechanism for a Postage Meter, will firstrotate that gear and the square shaft 510 on which it is located anincremental amount, following which the rotation of the gear is stoppedby the registration of the Geneva 511 with the first Geneva block 504 onthe drum. Such rotation of the square shaft 510, by means of gear 521,will drive its 40-tooth gear 520 and consequently dial 525 through thesame incremental amount. Whenever a 40-tooth gear 520 has gone throughthe 9 to 0 position, it will have rotated the gear 536, Geneva 537 andthe cams 538 of that order one tooth-space, thereby projecting theassembly of the follower arm 544, bar 516, yoke 515, and transfer gear514 of the adjacent higher order into alignment with the single toothtransfer gear 503. The break between the first Geneva block 504 and thesecond block 505, which break is aligned with the tooth 503, permits asingle step rotation of the adjacent higher order square shaft 510 andthat rotation is then blocked by the second Geneva block 505. It is seenin FIG. 4 that the second Geneva block 505 is longer than 504, but isnot entirely around but is still relatively short so that as thetens-transfer is effected, the Geneva 511 on a square shaft 510 will notbe in oppositionto any blocking surface, such as 504 or 505. In additionto the Genevas for stopping rotation of the various square shafts 510,it is preferable to provide each such square shaft with a suitabledetent to prevent angular displacement of such a shaft accidentally.Such detents are not shown in the drawings as it is believed they wouldunduly complicate the drawings. However, it will be understood by thosefamiliar with the art that such a detent would be advisable and could bein the form of a spring-pressed ball and notch as shown in FIG. 2between the seventh and eighth orders.

It is customary in devices using the Thomas principle of the mutilateddrum and positionable selection gears drive thereby, to use ten teeth onthe selection gear and subsequent mechanisms. It has been found thatwith nine-tooth gears, a substantially heavier Geneva, such as 511, canbe used. The nine-tooth Geneva gives a much more pronounced arcuatesection between its teeth and thereby provides a stronger and morereliable detent, and one which does not wear nearly as readily as thecustomary lO-tooth Genevas. This enables faster and longer operation ofthe meter and much longer usage than would be possible with a ten-toothgear.

It has been mentioned that one of the requirements of the Post Officeregulations is that when the descending register reaches the amountequal to the maximum that can be set upon the selection mecahnism andthereby entered into the dials, the machine must be locked againstoperation. In the present device this is accomplished by means of themechanism best shown in FIG. 3, but to some extent in FIG. 1. A lockingshaft 550 is journalled in the front and rear bearing plates 101 and102, respectively. This shaft carries four arms 551 rigidly mounted onthe shaft by any suitable means, such as pins (not identified). Thesefour arms 551 are slightly offset from the four highest order dials 515,since values can be selectively set for the four lowest orders of theregister and there are only eight dials in this register. As shown inFIG. 3, the arms 551v are each provided with a nose 552 which lies inthe same plane as a diametrically notched disk 553 affixed to the re--spective ordinal 20-tooth gear 522. The notches 554 of this disk are solocated that they register with the nose 552 each time the respectivedial 525 stands in a"0 position. The shaft 550 is biased in acounter-clockwise position in FIG. 3 by a spring, not shown in thisapplication, but shown and described in the copending application Ser.No. 457,592 entitled,Arithmetic Unit for a Postage Meter, filed of evendate herewith. It is obvious that the shaft 550 cannot rock so long asany one of the noses 552 of the four arms 551 register with thecircumference of its respective disk 553. However, when all noses 552can enter their respective notches 554, the set of four arms 551 and theshaft 550 will be rocked (counter-clockwise in FIG. 3) to lock themachine against any operation by means of the mechanism described andshown in the application just referred to. g

In the preferred embodiment of this invention, four orders of theregister can be driven by the actuator 301, thereby registering up topostage of $99.99 for each operation. Another four orders of theregister are provided without selection mechanism but operative to bedriven by the tens-transfer herein described. While this excess registeris believed so large that it will very seldom, if ever, be used, it doespermit a large user to buy postage in sufficient amounts to avoid thenecessity of frequent trips to the Post Office to have the meter reset.

It is believed obvious that many modifications can be made in thepresent invention. For example, the register is not limited to eightorders, but could be either greater or lesser in number, l0-tooth gearscould be substituted for the nine-tooth herein mentioned if theirrespective Genevas are modified accordingly; other means for setting atens-transfer gear could be utilized; etc.'These and other such changesare believed within the scope of the present invention and accordinglyan interpretation of the claims should be commensurate with theinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. An ordinal register for a postage meter comprising:

1. a single Thomas-type mutilated gear actuator;

2. means for driving said actuator;

3. a plurality of register drive shafts circumferentially arrangedaround said actuator;

4. selection gears slidably but non-rotatably mounted on some of thelowest order shafts;

5. means for positioning each of said selection gears in relation tosaid actuator;

6. a tens-transfer gear slidably but non-rotatably mounted on each ofsaid shafts;

7. a register drive gear rigidly mounted on each of said drive shafts;

8. a dial driven by each of said register drive gears;

and

9. tens-transfer means associated with each register drive gear andactuated as the respective dial passes through its 9 to position formoving the said tens-transfer gear of the next higher order intooperative relationship with said actuator.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dial is driven by a gear trainbetween said register drive gear and its dial comprising:

l. a 40-tooth gear meshing with each of said register drive gears;

2. a 20-tooth gear meshing with each of said 40-tooth gears;

3. a l0-tooth gear meshing with each of said 20-tooth gears; and

4. a dial is rigidly mounted on each of said l0-tooth gears.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tens-transfer means comprises:

1. a 40-tooth gear meshing with each of said register driving gears;

2. a four-tooth gear and a Geneva disk mounted on said 40-tooth gear;

3. a gear and a Geneva wheel rotatably mounted on said shaft andregistering with said four-tooth gear and said Geneva disk,respectively;

4. projecting cam faces in said last-mentioned gear and Geneva wheel;

5. a cam follower moved longitudinally by said cam projections; and

6. means moved by said cam follower for moving said tens-transfer gearof the adjacent higher order into a differential position with saidactuator to register a value ofl.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the selection gears, the registerdrive gears, and the tens-transfer gears have nine teeth; and each dialis driven by a gear train which comprises:

1. a 40-tooth gear meshing with each of said register drive gears;

2. a 20-tooth gear meshing with each of said 40-t0oth gears;

3. a l0-tooth gear meshing with each of said 20-tooth gears;

4. a dial rigidly mounted on each of said l0-tooth gears;

and the tens-transfer means comprises:

5. a four-tooth gear and a Geneva disk mounted on each of said 40-toothgears;

6. an integral nine-tooth gear and a Geneva wheel rotatably mounted onsaid drive shaft and registering with said four-tooth gear and saidGeneva disk, respectively;

7. projecting cam faces in said integral gear and Geneva wheel;

8. a cam follower moved longitudinally by said cam projections;

9. means moved by said cam follower for moving said tens-transfer gearof the adjacent higher order into a differential position with saidactuator to register a value of 1.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising also means associated withcertain of said higher order dials for detecting a series of zeros insaid certain higher order dials.

6. An ordinally arranged register for a postage meter comprising:

1. a single Thomas-type mutiliated gear actuator having ninedifferentially arranged teeth and a single tens-transfer tooth;

2. means for driving said actuator;

3. a plurality of ordinal register drive shafts circumferentiallyarranged around said actuator;

4. selection gears slidably but non-rotatably mounted on the lowestorders of said drive shafts;

5. means for positioning said selection gears in differentialrelationship to said actuator;

6. a tens-transfer gear slidably but non-rotatably mounted on each ofsaid shafts except the lowest order;

7. a register drive gear rigidly mounted on each shaft;

8. a dial driven by each of said register drive gears;

9. means associated with each register drive gear and its respectivedial driven by said drive shaft and actuated as its respective dialpasses between a 9 to 0 position for moving said tens-transfer gear ofthe next higher order into alignment with the single tens-transfer toothof said actuator.

7. An ordinally arranged register for a postage meter comprising:

1. a single Thomas-type mutilated gear actuator having ninedifferentially arranged teeth and a single tens-transfer tooth;

2. means for driving said actuator;

3. a plurality of register drive shafts, one for each order of theregister, circumferentially arranged around said actuator;

4. nine-tooth selection gears slidably but non-- rotatably mounted oncertain of the lowest orders of said drive shafts;

5. means for positioning said selection gears into differentialrelationship to said actuator;

6. a nine-tooth tens-transfer gear slidably but nonrotatably mounted oneach of said drive shafts;

7. a nine-tooth register driving gear rigidly mounted on each of saiddrive shafts;

8. a 40-tooth gear meshing with each of said register driving gears;

9. a 20-tooth gear meshing with each of said 40-tooth gears;

10. a l0-tooth gear meshing with each of said 20- tooth gears;

ll. a dial rigidly mounted on each of said l0-tooth gears;

12. a four-tooth gear and a Geneva disk mounted on each said 40-toothgear;

10 said tens-transfer gear of the next higher order into alignment withthe single tens-transfer tooth on said actuator.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 comprising also means associated withcertain of said higher order dials for detecting a series of zeros insaid certain higher order dials.

1. An ordinal register for a postage meter comprising:
 1. a singleThomas-type mutilated gear actuator;
 2. means for driving said actuator;3. a plurality of register drive shafts circumferentially arrangedaround said actuator;
 4. selection gears slidably but non-rotatablymounted on some of the lowest order shafts;
 5. means for positioningeach of said selection gears in relation to said actuator;
 6. atens-transfer gear slidably but non-rotatably mounted on each of saidshafts;
 7. a register drive gear rigidly mounted on each of said driveshafts;
 8. a dial driven by each of said register drive gears; and 9.tens-transfer means associated with each register drive gear andactuated as the respective dial passes through its "9" to "0" positionfor moving the said tens-transfer gear of the next higher order intooperative relationship with said actuator.
 1. a 40-tooth gear meshingwith each of said register drive gears;
 2. a 20-tooth gear meshing witheach of said 40-tooth gears;
 3. a 10-tooth gear meshing with each ofsaid 20-tooth gears; and
 4. a dial is rigidly mounted on each of said10-tooth gears.
 1. a 40-tooth gear meshing with each of said registerdrive gears;
 2. a 20-tooth gear meshing with each of said 40-toothgears;
 3. a 10-tooth gear meshing with each of said 20-tooth gears;
 4. adial rigidly mounted on each of said 10-tooth gears;
 1. a singleThomas-type mutiliated gear actuator having nine differentially arrangedteeth and a single tens-transfer tooth;
 1. a single Thomas-typemutilated gear actuator having nine differentially arranged teeth and asingle tens-transfer tooth;
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dialis driven by a gear train between said register drive gear and its dialcomprising:
 2. means for driving said actuator;
 3. a plurality ofregister drive shafts, one for each order of the register,circumferentially arranged around said actuator;
 4. nine-tooth selectiongears slidably but non-rotatably mounted on certain of the lowest ordersof said drive shafts;
 5. means for positioning said selection gears intodifferential relationship to said actuator;
 6. a nine-toothtens-transfer gear slidably but non-rotatably mounted on each of saiddrive shafts;
 7. a nine-tooth register driving gear rigidly mounted oneach of said drive shafts;
 8. a 40-tooth gear meshing with each of saidregister driving gears;
 9. a 20-tooth gear meshing with each of said40-tooth gears;
 10. a 10-tooth gear meshing with each of said 20-toothgears;
 11. a dial rigidly mounted on each of said 10-tooth gears;
 12. afour-tooth gear and a Geneva disk mounted on each said 40-tooth gear; 2.means for driving said actuator;
 3. a plurality of ordinal registerdrive shafts circumferentially arranged around said actuator; 4.selection gears slidably but non-rotatably mounted on the lowest ordersof said drive shafts;
 5. means for positioning said selection gears indifferential relationship to said actuator;
 6. a tens-transfer gearslidably but non-rotatably mounted on each of said shafts except thelowest order;
 7. a register drive gear rigidly mounted on each shaft; 8.a dial driven by each of said register drive gears;
 9. means associatedwith each register drive gear and its respective dial driven by saiddrive shaft and actuated as its respective dial passes between a "9" to"0" position for moving said tens-transfer gear of the next higher orderinto alignment with the single tens-transfer tooth of said actuator. 3.The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tens-transfer means comprises:
 1. a40-tooth gear meshing with each of said register driving gears;
 2. afour-tooth gear and a Geneva disk mounted on said 40-tooth gear;
 3. agear and a Geneva wheel rotatably mounted on said shaft and registeringwith said four-tooth gear and said Geneva disk, respectively; 4.projecting cam faces in said last-mentioned gear and Geneva wheel;
 5. acam follower moved longitudinally by said cam projections; and
 6. meansmoved by said cam follower for moving said tens-transfer gear of theadjacent higher order into a differential position with said actuator toregister a value of "1".
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein theselection gears, the register drive gears, and the tens-transfer gearshave nine teeth; and each dial is driven by a gear train whichcomprises:
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising also means associatedwith certain of said higher order dials for detecting a series of zerosin said certain higher order dials.
 6. An ordinally arranged registerfor a postage meter comprising:
 7. An ordinally arranged register for apostage meter comprising:
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 comprising alsomeans associated with certain of said higher order dials for detecting aseries of zeros in said certain higher order dials.
 13. a nine-toothgear and a Geneva disk rotatably mounted on said drive shaft andregistering with said four-tooth gear and said Geneva disk,respectively;
 14. nine cam faces on said last-mentioned gears andGenevas;
 15. a cam follower moved by each of said can faces; and 16.means moved by said cam follower for moving said tens-transfer gear ofthe next higher order into alignment with the single tens-transfer toothon said actuator.